10 Best Lyrics From Lil’ Kim’s ‘The Naked Truth’ Album

Younger hip-hop fans may consider Nicki Minaj to be the queen of rap, but to those in the know, that title once belonged to Lil' Kim -- and with good reason. Emerging on the scene in 1995, as the token female in the Notorious B.I.G.'s vanity rap clique, Junior M.A.F.I.A., she immediately made a name for herself in the music industry with her rough and rugged rhymes in addition to her sex appeal -- this would be used to her benefit like no other female rapper before her.

Her solo career has been a success story, with multiple platinum-selling albums and a long-running list of memorable moments that remain ingrained in tenured rap fans' heads. And while she has achieved many accomplishments and highlights, she has not been immune to adversity, which the Bed Stuy, Brooklyn native has had to overcome during various instances during her career. But one incident in particular would test her resolve like no other.

In 2001, two of the Queen Bee's close associates became embroiled in a gun battle with affiliates of rap duo Capone N Noreaga outside of New York radio station Hot 97. Over 20 rounds were fired during the shootout. After the men were charged in the shooting, Kim was called to testify at their trial by the prosecution and claimed to have no knowledge of who committed the crime. Video footage refuted Lil' Kim's claims and she was charged with committing perjury, resulting in a one-year jail sentence and three years probation.

Kim's jail sentence would be one of the biggest stories in rap of 2005, and the events surrounding the trial and her prison term would be a huge inspiration for her fourth solo album, The Naked Truth, which hit stores during her incarceration. Released on Sept. 27, 2005, the album was well-received, debuting at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 and selling 109,000 copies in its first week. Despite being her first release not to surpass the million-sold mark, the projcet is considered one of the most cohesive albums of her career.

On the 10th anniversary of this release, we highlight the 10 Best Lyrics From Lil Kim's The Naked Truth Album.